www.padfm.com.gh / Savannah region
The U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie S. Sullivan has on Friday July 16, 2021, marked a historic Shea Day with a tree planting event within the grounds of the seat of Gonja state, Jakpa
Palace, Damongo.
Ambassador Stephanie emphasized that there was the critical need to protect shea parklands and take progressive action to reverse the effects of
degradation. She stated, “It is imperative that communities lead action at the local level – restoration
begins with a clear understanding of your landscape and your needs. Each one of us here must then
take action to promote climate resilience, and tree planting is a positive first step. The task is more
complex than simply planting trees, however”, in a press statement.
The Sustainable Shea Initiative is an $18 million, five-year program that promotes the sustainable
expansion of the shea industry in Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Mali, Nigeria, and Burkina
Faso, as well as increases the incomes of hundreds of thousands of rural women. In Ghana, 20,000
trees will be planted across five northern regions this year alone.
Below is the detailed press statement by the Ambassador.
Press Release
Restoring Shea Parklands in Ghana, U.S. Ambassador Marks Shea Day with Commemorative
Tree Planting Event in Northern Ghana,
Savannah Region, GHANA – On July 16, 2021,
U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Stephanie S. Sullivan joined His Majesty Buipewura Abdoulai Jinapor II and members of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA) to commemorate Shea Day with a tree planting event within the grounds of the Yagbonwura’s Jakpa
Palace in Damongo. This event is a part of the Action for Shea Parklands initiative, which was
launched in 2020 to preserve and protect the shea parklands across West Africa.
The U.S. government, through the
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has supported women’s cooperatives across
northern Ghana to plant 15,000 shea trees during the month of July, recognized as “shea month.”
Ambassador Sullivan, who launched the Action for Shea Parklands initiative in 2020, emphasized
the critical need to protect shea parklands and take progressive action to reverse the effects of
degradation. She stated, “It is imperative that communities lead action at the local level – restoration
begins with a clear understanding of your landscape and your needs. Each one of us here must then
take action to promote climate resilience, and tree planting is a positive first step. The task is more
complex than simply planting trees, however. The restorative process requires our long-term
investment in the management and growth of the trees we plant today and into the future.” She
further expressed the U.S. government’s commitment to contribute to global climate solutions,
highlighting the U.S. return to the Paris Climate Agreement.
The United States supports the global
one trillion tree initiative, which seeks to conserve, restore, and grow one trillion trees by 2030.
Throughout the month of July, USAID is partnering with the GSA to mobilize stakeholders across
the globe to act now and preserve the shea parklands. USAID is supporting GSA members to
undertake cross-regional activities such as tree planting, parkland management training, advocacy,
and social media campaigns in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, and Togo
under the Sustainable Shea Initiative (SSI).
The Sustainable Shea Initiative is an $18 million, five-year program that promotes the sustainable
expansion of the shea industry in Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Mali, Nigeria, and Burkina
Faso, as well as increases the incomes of hundreds of thousands of rural women. In Ghana, 20,000
trees will be planted across five northern regions this year alone.
To learn more about the Global
Shea Alliance please, visit www.globalshea.com.
Follow us @usembassyghana on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Website:gh.usembassy.gov
About Global Shea Alliance:
The Global Shea Alliance is a non-profit industry association with 560
members from 35 countries including women’s groups, brands and retailers, suppliers and NGOs.
Through public-private partnership, the GSA promotes industry sustainability, quality practices and
standards, and demand for shea in food and cosmetics.
About USAID/West Africa:
The USAID/West Africa mission goal is to promote social and economic
well-being in the region. Spanning 21 countries, USAID/West Africa designs and implements
programs with West African partners to strengthen systems of non-violent conflict management,
support economic growth, and expand quality health services.
For more information, please visit
https://www.usaid.gov/west-africa-regional
www.padfm.com.gh / zulqanoah16@gmail.com (0242381890)
